Terrorhorse

The impression Terrorhorse leave upon first listen is a dropped jaw and a wide-eyed expression that reads "holy mega-talented unsigned band!" These London, ON guys know what they're doing when it comes to progressive death metal and they do it in a very fresh and innovative way. Their independently released EP, This Ain't No Goddamn Mirage, is comprised of five tracks of pure intensity performed with sheer brutality and incredibly tight musicianship. Opener "Rapid Eye Movement" kicks things off with fast, dynamic force and within the first five seconds displays each band member's defining talents, including Darryl Beddard's straight-up metal vocals, which are both strong and unorthodox, as well as the technical and unpredictable dual guitar shredding of Matt MacIntosh and Richard LeBlanc. Terrorhorse's skill never wavers, highlighted by the forceful "Packet Flier," which is a short, gut-wrenching number, and aptly titled final song "Heffer Exploder," which ends the EP with a bang.